Melania Trump forges her own path in Trump’s second term

Published June 10, 2026 6:00am ET | Updated June 10, 2026 8:16am ET



First lady Melania Trump is one of the few people in President Donald Trump‘s orbit who appears to operate largely on her own terms.

The first lady has pursued a small number of carefully selected priorities during her husband’s second administration, making public appearances when she chooses. That independence has sometimes benefited the president and sometimes created headaches for his aides.

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